NSW government votes down 'lazy' plebiscite bill, but warned forced council mergers will continue to hurt

Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers’ Orange MP Phillip Donato said “There can be no cost put on democracy" in reply to concerns about 20 merger plebiscites.

A Bill that would have given forcibly merged councils a vote on their future was knocked on the head by Government today – who deemed it an opportunistic “hoax” by the Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers Party.

In turn Liberals and Nationals MPs were told they were “bleeding to death” over forced amalgamations, and that they “hadn’t learned a thing” from recent swings against them at the polls.

“The contempt continues in the bush – The member for Orange is evidence of that,” Labor’s Greg Warren said during this morning’s debate.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

“We got thrown out of government and that’s exactly what is going to happen to you.”

Resuming a debate from August, government was scathing of the Shooters’ Local Government Amendment (Amalgamation Referendums) Bill.

The Bill, which was ultimately voted down 47-37, proposed giving residents in 20 forcibly merged councils a plebiscite on whether they wanted to remain amalgamated.

Amendments from the Greens also pushed for a referendum for future merger proposals.

Government maintained the Bill was poorly drafted and opportunistic.

Coalition MPs said it ignored the cost of plebiscites across the state, that it would undo good work in already-merged councils, and that it would place an unnecessary burden on the NSW Electoral Commission.

In reply Shooters’ Orange MP Phillip Donato said “There can be no cost put on democracy.”